Handcuff



Sept 16, 1930. w. L, LATOU A 1,775,727

HANDCUFF Filed July 26,' 1928 @51g l F 7 M Grammi ,WILtrAiyr i.. LA'roU,or CANTON,

Patented sept. i6, 1930 UNITED vSTATES PATENT orticaV OHIO, .ASSIGNOVROF ON E-HALF TO CYRIL I-I. SHAFIEER,

0F CANTON, O-O

HANDGUFF appncanon mea Juiy 2e,

ly actuated for permitting rotation of thelockable arm in Veitherdirection, for permitting rotation of the arm in one direction only, orfor preventing rotation of the arm in either direction. i f

`At handcuff of this character usually includes a lock having a singlelatch, and eoplanar locking teeth on the lockable arm, and on the latch;and the latch is usually spring pressed, normally permitting rotation ofthe lockable arm in onedirection excepting when the latch teeth aredisengaged from the teeth ofthe Vlockable arm by a key orvthe like; anda single'bolt independent of the latch is usually provided for.selective actuation by the key or the like, to.prevent movement of thelatch and rot-ation'of the-lockable arm in either direction. e v l'Accordingly', it is only necessary for a prisonerto performtwooperations to release himself from a handcuif of this usual character,after the lock of the same has been actuated to prevent rotation of thearm Ain either direction. v

These operations are: First, pick the lock to disengage the single boltfrom the'single latch; and, second, interpose a small strip of metal ora match stick or the like between the then spring pressed latch teeth,after whichthe lockable varm may be freely rotated in either direction,so that the prisonermay release'himself from the handcuif.

-.2Prisone1s, particularly ofthe professional criminal class, are awareof the ease with which the `usual handcuffs may be released,

and it is, possible in a very short time for such aprisoner, eitheralone or with an ac-k complice, to` remove the `usual'handcuifs asaforesai e Accordingly the objects lof the present inventionvinclude theprovision of a handcuff 192s. serial No. 295,443.

which require more than two and preferably at least siX operations foreffecting an unauthorized opening thereof, thereby increasing the timerequired to effect the unauthorized opening, and rendering the samepractically impossible.

These objects are attained in the present` invention, exemplified indetail, and claimed hereinafter, and which maybe stated in general termsas comprising a handcuff of the characterdescribed and including aplurality of separate latches,and a plurality of separate'latchbolts,which may be easily actuated simultaneously only by the proper key, thelatches being adapted for interengageinent with` separate sets ofcircumferentially arranged teeth on the lockable arm, one set beingradially spaced from another set, and one ofthe sets being preferablylocated at the base of a groove, the outer walls of which are formed byouter sets of teeth, andthe latch for one set being circumferentiallyspaced from thelatch forA another set, and one or more tongues slidablyextending within the groove formed by the sets of teeth for renderingdiiicult'the insertion of a strip of material for disengaging the latchforthe setv of teeth of'less circumference.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are'illustrated in theaccompanying drawing forming part hereof, in which Figure l is anelevation View With portions broken away of a handcu embodying thepresent improvements; n

Fig. 2, an enlarged view thereof with one .side of the lock case removedillustrating the improved tion; u

Fig. 3,' a View with portions broken away, as on line 3-3, Fig, 2,.withthe lockable arm removed;` y,

Fig. 4, a View looking in the direction of the arrows 4-4, Fig. 2,portions vof thelock case being brokenr away;"` c

Fig, 5, a view illustrating the tapered end of the lockable arm;

Fig. 6, a view similar to Fig. 5 illustrating the lock in the unlockedposition Vfor permitting the lockable arm to rotate in either direction;and T handcuff of Fig. l inlocked posilll Fig. 7, a view similar toFig.v3, illustrating a modified embodiment of the improvements.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The improved handcuff, indicated generally at 10, includes laterallyspaced similarly curved arms 11 and 11' pivotally secured as by a pin 12at one of their ends to one end of another curved arm 13 which ispreferably interposed between the laterally spaced arms 11 and 11'.

The other end of the curved arm 13 is provided with a plurality of sideby side sets 14, 14', and 14" comprising, respectively,circumferentially. arranged teeth 15, 15', and 15".

r1`he outer sets 14 and 14" are preferably radially spaced from the set14' interposed therebetween, and there is thus formed a groove 16between the outer sets of teeth.

The other ends of the arms 11 and 11' preferably terminate in sideplates 17 and 17' of a lock case, which is completed by a U plate 18interposed between the side plates, the side plates and the U platebeing secured to each other as by rivets 19.

The lock case houses a lock indicated gen erally at 20, and whichincludes side by side latches 21, 21', and 21" for engaging,respectively, with the teeth of the sets 14, 14', and 14", the latch 21'being circumferentially and radially spaced from the latches 21 and 21",for the purposes of the present invention, as will be hereinafter setforth in detail.

The latches 21, 21', and 21" are preferably in the form of bell crankspivotally mounted within the lock case as by a common pivot pin 22.

The bell crank latches 21, 21', and 21" include, respectively, arms 23,23', and 23", having respectively a plurality of latch teeth 24, 24',.and 24", extending therefrom each for engagement, respectively, withthe teeth of the sets 14, 14', and 14" on the lockable arm 13.

rI`he latch teeth 24 and 24" are mounted at the outer ends of the bellcrank arms 23 and 23", respectively, and the latch teeth 24' are mountedintermediate the outer end of the arm 23' and its pivotal mountingat'22, the latch teeth 24' being as aforesaid circumferentially andradially spaced from the latch teeth 24 and 24".

For oscillating the latch teeth into and out of engagement with theteeth on the lockable arm, the bell crank latches 21, 21', and 21", alsoinclude, respectively, key actuated arms 25, 25', and 25", each of thekey actuated arms, preferably having a different angle with respect tothe latch teeth arms, for being actuated, respectively, by wing sections26, 26', and 2G" of different lengths,

of a key 27 arranged to be inserted into the lock case through asuitable key hole 28.

The toothed latch arms 23, 23', and 23" are normally urged towards theteeth on the lockable arm, by means of spring pressed plungers 29, 29',and 29", respectively, and unless the key is utilized to rotate thelatches in the opposite direction, the toothed latch arms permitrotation of the lockable arm 13 only in a direction towards the lock toreduce the circumference of the handcull closure formed by the curvedarms, and preventing reverse rotation of the arm 13.

After the teeth of the lat-ches have been engaged with, the teeth of thesets on the lockable, arm 13, the bell crank latches 21, 21', and 21"may be secured in engagement with the lockable arm 13, preventingrotation in either direction thereof, by means of bolts 30, 30', and30", which may be slidably mounted in the lock case, Vfor extension andwithdrawal, respectively, preferably by the same key 27 beneath catches,which may be in the form of enlarged outer ends 31, 31', and 31", on thelatch arms 23, 23', and 23".

The bolts 30, 30', and 30" are arranged to be withdrawn from securingengagement with the latches, preferably at the beginning of acounter-clockwise or unlocking rotation of the key 27 as viewed on thedrawing, and prior to the actuation of the several latches by the key,and vice versa.

At the outer end of the legs of the U plate 18, preferably tapered guidetongues 32a and 32b are provided for extending into the groove 16, forguiding the rotary movements of the arm 13, and for rendering diflicultthe disengagement of the latch 23' from its set of teeth on the lockablearm, by a strip of material inserted into the groove 15.

The outer end of the lockable arm and the outer end of each of the outersets 14, and 14", are preferably tapered as illustrated in lP ig. 5, forcooperating with the guide tongues 32 and 32", for facilitating therotation of the lockable arm into engagement with the latches.

Fig. 2 as aforesaid illustrates the improved handcuff herein, with thelatches in locking engagement with the lockable arm 13, and the bolts insecuring engagement with the latches.

Then the key 27 is removed by a clockwise rotation from the positionillustrated in Fig. 2, and withdrawn from the key hole 28, in order thata prisoner, upon whom the handcuii' may have been applied, can bereleased from the handcuff without the use of the proper key, it isfirst necessary to withdraw each of the three bolts 30, 30', and 30"from engagement with the latches 21, 21', and 21". Then it would benecessaryl as by the use of three thin strips of material, tosimultaneously disengage the three latches 21, 21', and 21" from thelockable arm'13.

.comprise separate and independently actu ated latch laminas 21a, 2lb,and 21C; and 21, 211, andpQlC; and 21', 21', and 21', for renderingstill more diilicult the picking of the lock. A

I claim:

l. A handcuf including a lock mounting arm and a lockable arm pivotallyconnected With each other, a lock on the lock mounting arm, a pluralityof sets of circumferentially arranged teeth on the lockable arm, one setof teeth being radially spaced from anotherV set, and the lock includinga plurality of latches, each latch being adapted `for engagement anddisengagement with one of the sets of teeth on the lockable arm.

2. A handcuif including a lock mounting arm and a lockable arm pivotallyconnected with each other, a lock on the lock mounting arm, a pluralityof sets of circumferentially arranged teeth on the lockable arm, one setof teeth being radially spaced from another Set, and the lock includinga plurality of latches, each latch being adapted for engage nient anddisengagement With one of the sets of teeth on the lockable arm, and aplurality of bolts, each bolt being adapted for engagement anddisengagement with one of the latches.

3. A handcuf including a lock mounting arm and a lockable arm pivotallyconnected with each other, a lock on the lock mounting arm, a pluralityof sets of circumferentially arranged teeth on the lockable arm, one ofthe sets of teeth being located between outer sets and being radiallyspaced from and Jforming a groove between the outer sets, and the lockincluding a plurality of latches, each latch being adapted forengagement and disengagement with one of thersets of teeth on thelockable arm. Y

4. A handcuif including a lock mounting arm and a lockable armpivotallyconnected with each other, a lock on the lock mounting f arm, aplurality of sets of circumferentially arranged teeth on the lockablearm, one of the sets of teeth being located between outer sets and beingradially spaced from vand forminga groove between the outer sets, andthe lock including a plurality of latches, each latch being adapted forengagement and disengagement with one of the sets of teeth on thelockable arm, and a plurality of bolts,

each bolt being adapted for engagement and disengagement with one of thelatches.

5. A handcuif including a lock mounting arm and a lockable arm pivotallyconnected with each other, a lock on the lock mounting arm, a pluralityo-sets of circumterentially arranged teeth on the'lockable arm, one setof teeth being radially spaced from another set, 'and the lock includingcircumferentially spaced latches, each latch being adapted forengagement and disengagement with one of Y the sets of teeth on thelockable arm.

6. A handcu including a lock mounting arm and a lockable arm pivotallyconnected with each other, a lock on the lock mounting arm, a pluralityof sets of circumferentially arranged teeth on the lockable arm, one setof teeth being radially spaced from another set, and the lock includingcircumferentially spaced latches, each latch being adapted forengagement and disengagement with one of the sets of teeth on thelockable arm, and a plurality of bolts, each bolt being adapted forengagement and disengagement with one of the latches. l

7 A handcui including a lock mounting arm and a lockable arm pivotallyconnected K with each other, a lock on the lock mounting arm,afplurality of sets of circumferentially arranged teeth' on the lockablearm, one of: the sets of teeth being located between outer sets andbeing radially spaced from and forming a groove between the outer sets,and the lock including a case, a plurality of latches operativelymounted within the case, each latch being adapted for `engagement anddisengagement with one ofA the sets of teeth on the lockable arm, and atongue on the lock case extending into the groove on the lockable arm.

8. A handcuii including a lock mounting arm and a lockable arm pivotallyconnected with each other, a lock on the look mounting arm, a pluralityof sets of circumferentially arranged teeth on the lockable arm, one ofthe sets of teeth being locatedbetween outer sets and being radiallyspaced from and forming a groove between the outer sets, and the lockincluding a case, a plurality of latches operatively mounted within thecase, each latch being adapted for engagement and disengagement with oneof the sets of teeth on the lockable arm, a plurality of key operablebolts operatively mountedwithin the case, each bolt being adapted forengagement and disengagement with one of the latches,

and a tongue on the lock case extending into the groove on thelockablearm.

hereunto subscribed my name.

WILLIAM L. LATOU.

